BRI expected to boost Afghanistan recovery

Restoring peace, stability and advancing the Belt and Road Initiative were high on the agenda during the latest discussions by officials representing Beijing and the Taliban.

Renewed support for the BRI will help Afghanistan regain the initiative in its expected reconstruction and to end its backward status resulting from turmoil and warfare over the past 20 years, experts said.

Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao held a phone conversation on Thursday with Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, deputy head of the Taliban's political office in Qatar.

Wu said the situation in Afghanistan "has witnessed a fundamental change", and the future and destiny of Afghanistan is once again in the hands of the Afghan people.

The friendship between China and Afghanistan has stayed true for thousands of years, and China has always respected the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and has pursued a "friendly policy toward all the Afghan people", he added.

He also said he hopes that the country will achieve peace and stability and rebuild a beautiful home as soon as possible.

The Taliban official said that China is a trustworthy friend of Afghanistan, and the Taliban is willing to further engage in developing friendly relations with China.

He said the Taliban will never allow any force to use Afghan territory to threaten China's interests, and will take effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese agencies and personnel in Afghanistan.

The BRI is conducive to the development and prosperity of Afghanistan and the region, and Afghanistan looks to further earnestly supporting and participating in it, Hanafi added.

"Afghanistan has yet to walk out of poverty, and its economy is in dire need of self-reliance while the nation still relies heavily on foreign assistance," said Li Shaoxian, director of Ningxia University's China-Arab Research Institute.

The United States military presence in the country "only brought enormous profits to arms dealers and producers", with no contribution to the country's development, and the Afghan people have seen no major improvements, Li said.

For quite some time, China has offered great help for Afghanistan's economic and social development, and it plays a proactive role in boosting economic self-reliance there and brings tangible benefits to locals, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Friday.

When asked about future bilateral teamwork regarding the BRI,Wang said Beijing expects a "steady transition" of the situation there, which is a basis for Afghanistan's collaboration with the outside world as well as foreign businesses operating there.

Currently, the Chinese embassy maintains operations in Kabul, and Beijing is "keeping a close eye on and tracking" the process of introducing a new government, Wang said.

China sincerely expects all parties in the country to live up to public hopes and global expectations, build a political architecture of openness and inclusiveness, fulfill steady policies, break away from terrorists and embark on friendly exchanges with countries around the world, he added.